TORONTO, Ont. — Class 8 sales results finished 2005 exactly the way one would expect from a record-setting year: strong.

Last year was already a record year by November but the 2,779 Class 8 trucks sold in December, according to records from the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association, boosted the year’s sales volume to an incredible 35,281 units sold. The previous record was 30,984, set back in 1999. Last year’s sales total was 30,318.

Most truck manufacturers had planned to be in peak production by mid year and the extremely strong sales performance proved them predictions correct.

Yet despite the record sales, 2006 may be just as strong or stronger. Our own Transportation Media Research indicates that about a quarter of Canada’s fleets intend to deal with the upcoming 2007 engine emissions regulations, which reportedly could add as much as $10,000 to the cost of a new engine, by pre-buying. And most truck manufacturers expect the bulk of this pre-buy to occur in 2006.

The pre-buy strategy is particularly popular with large carriers with more than 40% expecting to use that strategy, according to our research.